A Few Thoughts About The Hecklers Nominations.
19-9-17
I want to spare a thought or two about The Hecklers 2017. We have received some comments we believe should be addressed so that it is clear to everyone how the voting system works.
Last year, before I became the editor of HKELD, I gathered with a friend for a glass of wine and a catch-up as I wanted to share the latest news. My friend was happy for me, and as we chatted about ideas that could help the arts and theatre community, it was mentioned that if my theatre company were to be involved actively in the scene, it would be best to step down from the HKELD Awards to avoid any conflicts of interest. After all, my company has received a few nominations in the past, and it would be best to maintain a sense of complete neutrality.
Little did I know that that decision, and the year ahead of me, was far more complicated than I could have imagined.
As I ran HKELD as efficiently as I possibly could this year, I had the chance to stage my own material with the help and support of talented artists and dedicated collaborators who worked very hard to make sure that every single show was up to standard. Aurora Theatre staged three shows in seven months, involving about fifty people overall.
When the time of the nominations came closer, I had a lot of mixed feelings about what to do, as my position is an uncomfortable one to be in. I gathered and shared my thoughts with people who have either worked with me and know what I do, and we all realized one thing: I couldn't make the decision to cut fifty people or more out of the equation just because of my association with Aurora Theatre and HKELD. It wasn't for lack of integrity or showing-off; I'm disappointed that it has come across this way to some and apologize for any miscommunication as such.
With the help of three members of the HKELD team (Elizabeth Micci, Nuria Palau, and Lizzi Wood), we have put a lot of thought into this matter and decided that the Aurora Theatre team deserved the same chance as everyone else to receive the appreciation and acknowledgment for the work they created.
Having decided that unanimously, I stepped out of the nominations and voting process and let them handle everything. I don't have the password to access the survey, I don't know who is ahead of the votes, and I won't know who the winners are until it gets announced onstage.
I'm only organizing the party, and I am determined to involve as many people in the community as possible and offer everyone a great time!
I believe there is plenty of room for improvement. Feedback from the public is always welcome, and we are always more than happy to listen. We want to hear your thoughts, we want to hear your ideas for how we can improve for you and our community; with this in mind, there will be a box for you to post your thoughts, ideas, feedback and constructive criticism on September 26th. As always, you can email us at any time at editor@hkeld.com.